Typical mowing machines include a housing within which a blade rotates to cut vegetation such as grass. The blade is typically fixed to a spindle rotatively driven by a power source such as an engine. Many mowers provide a discharge outlet in the housing through which clippings exit the housing. Other mowers mulch the clippings by preventing them from exiting the housing. These mulching mowers block the discharge outlet, thereby cutting and re-cutting the clippings within the housing until they fall into the lawn in relatively small fragments.
Conventional mowers typically tend to accumulate grass clippings which stick to the underside of the deck. This accumulation of clippings can be caused by mowing wet grass, and also due to the fact that clippings can become sticky when cut. Excessive accumulation of clippings within the housing can cause clogging near or in the discharge outlet. The clippings can even build-up to a point where rotation of the blade or spindle is hindered. Furthermore, the accumulated clippings stuck to the underside of the housing can create resistance to the flow of air and clippings within the housing such that the discharge of clippings through the discharge outlet is generally hindered. The insufficient discharge of materials through the outlet can result in unsightly windrowing or clumping of grass clippings on the lawn. Some mowers provide extra large wings on the mower blade for directing a larger amount of air out through the discharge outlet. However, larger wings tend to undesirably increase the amount of noise generated by the mower.
Mulching mowers tend to experience particularly large accumulation of clippings beneath their mower decks. The mulching mowers cut and re-cut the clippings into small fragments which can more readily adhere to surfaces within the housing. Also, since mulching mowers generally do not provide a discharge outlet for clippings, the clippings recirculate and are suspended within the deck for a longer period of time, which gives the clippings more opportunity to become stuck or adhere to the underside of the deck.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a mowing mechanism which generally hinders clippings from sticking to or otherwise accumulating on the underside of the deck. It would also be desirable for such a mower to maintain a relatively large volume of air and clippings being expelled through the discharge outlet. Furthermore, it would be desirable to provide a mower which generates a relatively low amount of noise during operation.